Deluded Boris Johnson today raged he will stay and win the next election despite being mauled by a defection to Labour while Tory MPs plot his downfall.
The Prime Minister had a bruising PMQs clash with Keir Starmer over ‘wheelie suitcase of wine’ Downing Street parties as Labour’s leader declared: “At least the staff at No10 know how to pack a suitcase!”
The atmosphere was electric in the Commons chamber as MPs stomped feet and shouted after a ‘Red Wall’ MP only elected in 2019 crossed the floor.
In a devastating letter, Bury South’s Christian Wakeford told the PM: “You and the Conservative Party as a whole have shown themselves incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves".
And in a devastating attack, top Tory David Davis told the Prime Minister: “You have sat there too long for all the good you have done. In the name of God, go!”
Yet Mr Johnson, his straw hair sticking out wildly, fumed not only that he was refusing to resign - but would also stay, fight and win the next general election.
He said: “The Conservative Party won Bury South for the first time in generations under this Prime Minister, with an agenda of uniting and levelling up and delivering for the people of Bury South.
“And we will win again in Bury South at the next election - under this Prime Minister!”
Tory MPs are plotting a no confidence vote in the PM after he was accused of lying about No10 bashes - with claims they could hit the necessary 54 letters today.
Mr Johnson demanded his critics wait for an inquiry by Whitehall civil servant Sue Gray.
Despite No10 repeatedly claiming they have no involvement in Sue Gray’s report, Mr Johnson said the inquiry would be published “next week”.
The PM said “I apologised sincerely for any misjudgements that were made” - but stood by his bizarre claim he thought it was a work event.
Ex-Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the PM’s defence was increasingly “absurd” adding: “It almost sounds like a lawyer wrote it”.
When Tory MPs tried to shout him down he claimed they’d been told to “bring their own booze” - earning cheers from Labour benches.
He goaded Boris Johnson by saying other Tories who believed in “decency” were welcome to defect.
“The Labour Party has changed - and so has the Conservative Party,” Sir Keir said.
He added: “Doesn’t the country deserve better than this out of touch, out of control, out of ideas and soon to be out of office Prime Minister?”
Yet asked if it was time for him to resign the PM replied bluntly: “No.”
He raged Keir Starmer was “continuing to ask a series of questions which he knows will be fully addressed” by Sue Gray’s inquiry.
“He’s wasting the people’s time, he continues to be completely irrelevant,” the Prime Minister raged at Sir Keir after he asked “if a PM misleads Parliament should they resign”.
“We have an inquiry, and I’m not going to anticipate that inquiry any further.”
The PM tried to raise a photo of Keir Starmer having a beer with dinner - to which the Labour leader replied: “Operation Save Big Dog is in bigger trouble than I thought!”
Labour’s leader added: “While we were setting out plans to keep bills down, he was planning parties!”
He added: “The PM’s account gets more extraordinary with each version of his defence.
“As he waded through the empty bottles and platters of sandwiches he didn’t realise it was a party. Does the PM realise how ridiculous that sounds?”
